The United States men’s national soccer team is stationed at the Ritz-Carlton in Laguna Niguel, California. They are gearing up for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, hoping to achieve remarkable success. Tyler Adams, a pivotal figure in the team, draws motivation from his childhood basketball team, the New York Knicks.

On a recent Wednesday night at Madison Square Garden, the New York Knicks executed an extraordinary comeback against the San Antonio Spurs in the NBA Finals. They initially trailed by 27 points at halftime, with a score of 76-49, and were down by as much as 29 points. Despite the odds, the Knicks gradually narrowed the gap, reminiscent of their dramatic rally in the Eastern Conference Finals against Cleveland.

In a tense moment, Jalen Brunson, the Knicks’ All-Star point guard, attempted a game-deciding 3-pointer with four seconds left. The shot missed, but OG Anunoby secured the victory with a clutch tip-in, leaving 1.2 seconds on the clock. The Knicks triumphed 107-106, setting a record for the largest comeback in NBA Finals history. This win placed them on the brink of their first championship since 1973, holding a 3-1 series lead.

Adams, who began his soccer journey with the New York Red Bulls, was ecstatic at the Ritz-Carlton, reacting with unrestrained joy. He advanced from the Red Bulls’ academy to play in Major League Soccer, then joined Germany’s RB Leipzig in January 2019. In August 2023, he moved to Bournemouth in the English Premier League.

Born in New York on February 14, 1999, Adams has seen his team again in the NBA Finals after 27 years. When the Knicks last reached the finals, they fell to the Spurs in five games. They now aim to end their championship drought on Saturday.

The USMNT will kick off their World Cup campaign against Paraguay at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California, on Friday night.